To learn how the landscape between society and business has shifted, Darden and APCO conducted a global study of more than 36,000 people in 14 of the world’s largest economies.

End of the Era of Push Communications

With the advent of the Internet and the rise of social media, corporate brands no longer maintain full control of messages or their reputations.

Anyone with a computer or mobile device can access information about a company and quickly and easily start a global conversation about corporate practices.

Unprecedented Scrutiny of Corporate Behavior

Greater access to information, coupled with the perceived influence large companies have over people’s lives, has led to greater scrutiny of corporate behavior.

“When evaluating companies, it is as important for me to know how the company operates as it is to know what it sells.”

“People scrutinize what companies do more today than they did 10 years ago.”

“In the last 10 years, people's expectations for companies' conduct have increased.”

Shift in the Balance of Power Between Government & Global Corporations

Alongside this greater access to information, society is increasingly feeling a change in the balance of power between government, society and business.

“Companies now serve functions in society that were previously reserved only for the government.”

“Global corporations have a bigger impact on people’s lives today than they did 10 years ago.”

Companies Have the Power, If Not the Obligation, to Add Value

To succeed in this new era, great brands must manifest an explicit corporate brand strategy in every aspect of their business — from business strategy to employee communication and policies, to more deliberate external communication with customers, policymakers and society more broadly.

This corporate brand strategy must explain the social value or mutual interest the company fulfills.

Rather than build brand champions for products, the crucial dimension is to create a Champion Brand, one that champions the interests of stakeholders and society.

“Companies have the ability to shape a better society.”

“The best companies are those that are an advocate for things that are important to me.”

Stakebroker

Companies today impact many aspects of our lives, and people are thinking and acting as more than just consumers of products and services. Champion Brand research has uncovered a whole new audience that is more invested in and engaged with corporate brands than others. We call this new audience the “Stakebroker” and it represents the future for building strong and enduring corporate brands.

Stakebrokers are not your traditional opinion leaders or influencers who read the news and talk to people about their opinions; they are a highly engaged group that looks at companies from a 360-degree perspective. What makes this audience unique is not just that they are more informed and active, but that they engage with companies from the perspective of ALL of the traditional audiences and their respective interests simultaneously (consumers, community members, environmentalists, policy influencers, employees and investors).

Let's Meet the Stakebroker:

58% contacted a government official to express views about companies’ practices, compared to 11% of the general population.

73% didn’t buy a product specifically because they didn’t agree with the company’s practices, compared to 35% of the general population.

60% frequently follow news on companies’ supply chain or human rights practices, compared to 7% of the general population

46% are active members of a community or charitable group, compared to 10% of the general population

61% contacted a company to comment on their environmental practices, compared to 9% of the general population

64% engage in socially responsible investing, compared to 12% of the general population.

The discovery of the stakebroker is significant because it suggests that the lines between traditional stakeholder audiences are blurring. The stakebroker is someone who cannot be placed into a single stakeholder category. Moreover, the stakebroker cares about how companies impact everything around them and are most likely to be paying attention to all of the practices, policies and behaviors of companies.

Stakebrokers also represent the future: They are more likely to be younger (Generation X and Y), and there is a higher proportion of stakebrokers in emerging markets such as Brazil, Mexico, China and India than in more developed markets. Learn more about the stakebroker methodology.

Four As

Darden and APCO have a groundbreaking model that creates a more comprehensive framework for how to think of corporate brand strength in the 21st century.

Alignment draws upon traditional notions of reputation and measures how well companies meet the rational expectations of their various stakeholders.

Authenticity builds on The Arthur W. Page Society’s work on authenticity and ideas of “trust” many firms use to measure their corporate character. Authenticity is achieved through saying what you mean, meaning what you say, and doing what you say.

Attachment is about building strong relationships. Although key to product marketing, corporate brands often overlook the power emotion plays in forging bonds.

Advocacy is inspired by work on shared value and measures how well a company applies its unique business expertise to advocate on behalf of society and stakeholders. Companies demonstrate advocacy when they communicate how they add value to society in the course of achieving their business objectives.

Top Champion Brands

For more information on how your company scored and more on your industry

We created the Champion Brand model to help brands tackle the biggest challenges they’re facing today as they strive to make relevant, compelling connections in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.